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Primers of Domestic Science. 

No 2. 


FAMILIAR LESSONS FOR LITTLE GIRLS 

ON WORK IN 


Parlor, 

Bed-Room -and Laundry 


FOR INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS AND FOR HOMES. 


4i* 


BY 




Mrs. Harriet J. Willard 




V 


JUL 27 m 

k lo { 

\S C/*. 



CHICAGO: " of WASH't^. 

GEO. SHERWOOD & COMPANY. 























PREFACE. 


The First Primer of this series has been so favorably received 
that the writer is encouraged to present the second, which gives the 
outline (f work in the parlor, the bed-room and the laundry. By it the 
pupil will be advanced the next grade of knowledge in domestic 
work. In kitchen - garden and industrial schools, this course of 
lessons will be given with great advantage in connection with 
practical exercises. 

The songs of the First Primer have proved very useful. Children 
enjoy the singing; and the words thus stamped upon the memory 
will go with them through life. Several songs are given in this 
Primer, for two of which the author is indebted to the kindness and 
courtesy of Miss Emily Huntington, of New York, from whose 
popular work on the “Kitchen Garden” she has been permitted to 
takq, them. 

Many housekeepers have found the former Primer very useful 
as a guide for inexperienced help, and an efficient substitute for 
much personal direction. With such use of the series in view, the 
writer has taken still more pains in the preparation of the present 
work, to make the directions full and complete. The intelligent 
liouse-maid, with these rules to guide her, can at once assume the 
duties usually assigned to her, with but little special direction from 
the housekeeper. 

To the young daughters of families in all stations in life, a 
careful study of these lessons can not fail to be of great service in 
preparing them for the responsibilities which they may expect to 
assume in the future. If their position in society should render 
personal labor unnecessary, they will still have use for this know¬ 
ledge in directing others; but if they are obliged to perform such 
work with their own hands, they will derive still greater advantage 
from exact knowledge: for this only can give to household work the 
dignity which crowns all useful labor performed in the best way and 
accomplishing its objects with real success. 








* 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 


I—How to Keep the Parlor in Order, 
II.—Sweeping Lesson, • 

III— Dusting Lesson, 

IV. —Cleaning Paints, - 

V.—How to Wash Windows, 

VI. —General Care of the Bed room, 

VII.— Bed-making Lesson, 

VIII. —Care of the Bed-room — Continued, 

IX.— The Bathroom, Water-pipes and Gas, 

X.— Answering the Door-bell, 

XI.— Preparing Clothes for the Wash, 

XII. —Washing by the Usual Method, 

XIII.— Starching and Drying Clothes, - 
XIV— Easier Methods of Washing, 

XV.— Folding Clothes for the Ironing, 
XVI.— Ironing Lesson, . 

XVII.— Ironing Lesson — Continued, - 
XVIII. —Folding Clothes from the Bars, 
XIX.—How to Talk, .... 

SONGS. —Sweeping Song, 

Dusting Song. 

Bed-making Song, 

Door-bell Song, - 
Ironing Song, - 
Language Song, 


7 

9 

13 

14 

17 

19 

22 

25 

27 

31 

34 

36 

40 

43 

46 

49 

52 

54 

57 

53 

65 

67 

69 

71 

73 


f ' V 



CHAPTER I. 


HOW TO KEEP THE PxVRLOR IN ORDER. 

In this chapter we will not try to learn how to sweep and 
clean the parlor thoroughly, but simply how to keep it neat 
and ready for use. 

In fine weather open the windows every morning and 
allow the fresh air to come in ; all rooms need air from with¬ 
out ; no guest should ever be more welcome than fresh, 
pure air. 

If a fire is kept in the room, first see that the stove or 
grate is cleared .from ashes and that the fire is replenished 
with fuel. With a little whisk broom and dust-pan sweep 
up any bits of dirt which may be upon the carpet, and brush 
the stove or grate neatly. 

If an open grate is used, you will need to wash up the 
hearth and grate-pan, and to wipe the dust from shovel, 
tongs, etc., leaving all about the fire bright and clean. 

If flowers are kept in the room, these should be supplied 
with water, and all the dead leaves removed. 

Vases of cut flowers should be taken from the room and 
re-arranged ; take out all dying ones, fill the vases with 
fresh water, and return the flowers in neat order. 

. With a soft cloth, wipe the dust from the furniture and 
wood-work, and arrange all in proper order for the conven¬ 
ience and comfort of those who are to occupy the room. 

If the room is used only as a reception room, the windows 
and blinds may be closed when the room is not in use. 


8 PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 

What do we learn in this chapter ? What must we do 
first in the morning ? If there is a fire kept in the room, 
what should we do ? How do you clean up an open grate ? 
What will you do with flower-pots ? What with cut flowers ? 
What next will you do ? What is the last thing to be 
done ? Recite the Rules. 


RULES. 

1. Open the windows if the weather is fair, and allow 
the fresh air to come in. 

2. If a fire is kept in the room, see that the grate or stove 
is cleared from ashes, and the fire replenished with fuel. 

3. With a carpet-sweeper or whisk broom and dust-pan, 
brush up any bits of dirt from the carpet. 

4. If flowers are kept in the room, see that these are 
properly watered and the dead leaves removed. 

5. With a soft cloth rub the dust from the furniture and 
wood-work about the room. 

6. Wash up the hearth and grate-pan, and make all 
bright and clean about the fire. 

Comments. —If the parlor is used as a living room, of course the 
light, and even the sunshine, should he admitted. 

A room which is in constant use will require attention several 
times through the day. Picking up will very frequently he required, 
if the room is to he kept in neat order. The dust-hrusli and pan 
should he near at hand, and the dusting cloth convenient, for they will 
all he needed several times in the course of the day. This should be 
the work of the little girl or hoy of the family. It should be done 
with as little disturbance of the occupants of the room as possible. 
Work tables can he put in order quietly, spool baskets neatly arranged, 
reading tables set to rights, bird cages cleaned, and flowers arranged ; 
all these can be the care of the young people of the family. 



SWEEPING LESSON. 


9 


To arrange living rooms and parlors with good taste, much practice 
and instruction are required, and children should begin very young 
to learn how to fold and arrange papers, how to place books neatly 
upon shelves, and, what is of more importance, how to keep all their 
own possessions in good order. 


CHAPTER II. 

SWEEPING LESSON. 

For sweeping you will need to have ready for use a good 
broom, not too heavy, but well made of fine straw 5 also a 
whisk broom, a hair dust-brush, a feather dust-brush, a dust¬ 
pan, a step-ladder, and calico furniture covers. 

Open the blinds, and if the weather is quite mild, open 
the windows also *, but if there is any wind, keep the windows 

shut till the sweeping is done. 

Having all things ready, begin by setting all light articles 
into another room ; then cover tables and heavy pieces of 
furniture. 

Shut all doors leading into other rooms. If there is a 
stove or grate in the room, sweep the dirt toward this point; 
otherwise, select any convenient spot, and sweep from all 

parts of the room to this place. 

If the room is to have a thorough cleaning, begin by 
brushing the dust from the walls, mounting a step-ladder to 
reach to the ceiling. Brush the backs of pictures and all 

projections covered with dust. 

When this part of the work is done, take the whisk 

broom and sweep under heavy pieces of furniture, and into 
such little corners as the large broom will not reach. 







10 PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 

Now you are ready to take the large broom. Grasp the 
broom firmly and sweep with short strokes, holding it evenly 
upon the carpet and never raising it until you are ready to 
set it back for another stroke. It should be forcibly drawn 
over the carpet, rather than struck across it. 

Continue to sweep until every speck of dirt is collected 
into the pile ready for the dust-pan ; then brush the dust 
upon the pan with the whisk broom.’ The grate or stove 
must be brushed with the hair brush. 

If the windows were not opened at first, they may now 
be opened till the dust is settled. 

What utensils will you need for sweeping ? If the 
weather is fine, what should you do ? What will you do 
with all the light articles ? How will you keep the dust 
from the tables, etc. ? Where will you sweep the dirt ? 
What should you dust, before beginning to sweep ? What 
do you use the little whisk broom for ? How should you 
hold the large broom ? What do you do with the dust when 
it is all swept together ? What is the use of the hair dust¬ 
brush ? Recite the Rules. 

RULES. 

1. Have ready for use a broom, a hair dust-brush, a feather 
dust-brush, a little whisk broom, a step-ladder, covers for 
the furniture, and a dust-pan. 

2. Open the blinds, and the windows also, if the weather 
is fair. 

3. Move all small, light articles outside, and close the 
doors. 

4. Cover heavy pieces of furniture, and tables with books 
or ornaments on them. 

5. With the feather dust-brush sweep the dust from pic¬ 
tures and from the walls. 


SWEEPING LESSON. 


11 


6. With the whisk broom sweep under heavy furniture 
and in little corrnes. 

7. Take the large broom and sweep with short, even 
strokes, never lifting the broom from the floor till it is to be 
set back for another stroke. 

8. When the dust is all swept carefully to one place, 
brush it upon the dust-pan with the whisk broom. 

Comments. —Tlie above directions are for carpeted rooms only. 

The present style of oiled floors, with rugs only for carpet, would 
require a different treatment. 

For bare floors of any kind a long-handled hair brush is required 
Polished floors may be cleaned by simply wiping them with a cloth 
wrung out of warm water, to remove the dust. The carpet upon the 
stairways should be swept with a whisk broom, each step being swept 
upon a dust-pan ; the ends and the space between the balusters should 
be brushed with a hair dust-brush. 

Housekeepers should plan to have but one thorough sweeping of 
the house in the week ; indeed, for rooms which are not much used, 
once in tw T o weeks is sufficient. Frequent sweepings are very inju¬ 
rious to carpets. For all daily cleaning it is better to use either a 
carpet-sweeper, or a whisk broom and dust-pan. Have a carpet- 
sweeper, if possible. It will soon pay for its cost in the saving of 
carpets. 

I have said nothing about using any wet tea leaves or wet bran, or 
wetting the broom to save dust. The housekeeper may find help in 
some of these ways, but it is not safe to allow inexperienced girls to 
use any thing of the sort. 

The best way to clean a carpet is to take clean hot water, with a 
little ammonia in it (a tablespoonful to a quart), and go over the car¬ 
pet after it has been well sw T ept. Take a new scrubbing brush and dip 
it in the water, shaking it to prevent too much water on the carpet ; 
scrub a small place and immediately take a clean cloth wrung out 
of the water, and rub the place well ; then take a clean dry cloth and 
rub as dry as possible. Either Brussels or ingrairu carpets may be 
cleaned in this way. 

There is danger of moths in a room which is kept dark and is not 
in constant use. A thorough sweeping occasionally, and exposure to 






12 


PARLOR, BED-EOOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


light and air are the best remedies. Take especial pains to sweep 
along the edges of the room, under furniture and in dark corners. 

To be secure from these pests, keep a small oil - can tilled with 
benzine; and once in two weeks go over the room, putting a few drops 
into the tufts of covered furniture and along the edges of the carpet. 
The benzine will not injure the finest silk velvet. 


CHAPTER III. 

DUSTING LESSON. 

To dust a room thoroughly you will need two feather 
dusters — a long-handled one for the pictures, and a finer 
one, with a short handle, for ornaments, books, etc. 

You will also need two soft dusting-cloths ; one should 
be entirely clean, for rubbing window-glass, mirrors, and 
nice articles. A step-ladder will also be needed. 

First, mount the step-ladder, and, with the large feather 
duster? brush the walls, cornices, ceilings, and high projec¬ 
tions. Brush the pictures both front and back, not omitting 
the cords or wires with which they are hung. 

Now take the smaller brush and dust the ornaments and 
such articles as can not be well rubbed with a cloth. You 
are now ready to beo-in the real work of dusting the room, 
which must always be done with a soft cloth. Go around 
the room regularly, rubbing each article carefully, leaving 
no part untouched. Be careful to rub all the woodwork of 
the room—window-seats, door-panels, etc. 

Bring in fhe pieces of furniture which were set outside, 
and dust them, and set each thing in its proper place. If 
any articles can not be entirely cleaned by rubbing with the 



DUSTING LESSON. 


13 


dry cloth, take a little clean, warm water and wash them, 
and wipe them with a dry cloth. 

Halls and stairway must be very carefully dusted ; rub 
each baluster separately. 

In dusting parlors or rooms where there are delicate or¬ 
naments, be very gentle in your movements, and careful not 
to overturn or injure anything. 

What thinars will vou need to dust a room well? How 

O 

do you sweep the wall? How clean the pictures? What 
do you use the small dust-brush for? How do you dust the 
room regularly? What will you do with the things which 
were outside? How do you dust halls and stairways? How 
must you work to avoid any accident? Recite the Rules. 


RULES. 

1. Have ready two good feather dusters, one with a long 
handle, and two soft dusting-cloths, one entirely clean ; also, 
a step-ladder. 

2. With the step-ladder and the long feather duster, 
brush the walls, the pictures, and all high projections. 

3. Take the small duster and dust the ornaments and 
such things as can not well be rubbed with the cloth. 

4. Go around the room, rubbing each article carefully 
with the cloth, leaving no part untouched. 

5. Use the cleaner cloth for the pictures, mirrors, win¬ 
dow-glass, etc. 

6. Bring in the things which were set outside, dust them, 
and set all in their proper places. 

7. Be very careful not to injure or misplace any article 
in the room. 

Comments.— Housekeepers should provide at least six good dust¬ 
ing-cloths. These may be made of thin cheese-cloth. They should 




14 


rARLOR, RED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


always be hemmed and regularly put into the wash as soon as they 
are much soiled. 

There is a very nice brush made of hair, pointed to fit into the 
backs of sofas and easy-chairs; this is a good thing to have for clean¬ 
ing plush-covered or other fine furniture. A thorough brushing with 
such a stiff brush will do much to prevent moths from destroying fur¬ 
niture-covers. Benzine is a sure preventive. 

Dusting is a work which may be said to be never finished or done 
up. We can at almost any time discover dust in our rooms. It is not 
wise, however, to be spending one’s life with duster in hand. I think 
it best to be very thorough at proper times in this work, and then let 
it go, determining not to be annoyed by every speck of dust. 

When furniture becomes old and is much soiled, it is well to give 
it a thorough washing with warm water, with perhaps a little soap or 
ammonia in the water. After washing and drying it, rub the surface 
thoroughly with oil and water in equal parts. Beware of any patent 
furniture washes. Never try them on a valuable piece of furniture. 


CHAPTER IV. 

CLEANING PAINTS. 

Rooms which are in constant use will require to have the 
finger-prints washed from doors and wfindow-seats, on the 
regular sweeping day, each week. 

Just after the sweeping is finished, take a bucket of 
clean, warm water, and with a clean flannel cloth, wrung out 
of the water, wipe the doors, and all paints which show es¬ 
pecial dirt. Do not use soap. Have a bit of old carpet to 
set the bucket on. Wipe dust off first with a dry cloth. 

If there is a marble mantel, this and the hearth will need 



CLEANING PAINTS. 


15 


cleaning. Use for cleaning marble, sapolio, or pulverized 
pumice-stone. 

Wipe all the iron parts of the grate with a wet cloth, 
rub the steel parts with pulverized Bristol brick, or, better, 
with emery and oil, and black the grate bars with stove- 

blackino*. 

When all the paints are to be thoroughly cleaned, pre¬ 
pare the water by putting into a third of a bucketful of it 
about a tablespoonful of ammonia. Squeeze the cloth till 
no water will run from it, and begin to wash at the highest 
points, standing upon the step-ladder. Wet only a small 
place at once, wiping it dry with a dry cloth. Remember to 
wipe off the dust first with a dry cloth. 

Never allow the water to drip from the cloth upon the 
paint below, and be careful not to touch walls or furniture 
with wet hands. 

If the paints are old or discolored, use soap or sapolio 
upon the cloth. As soon as the dirt is removed, wipe with 
a clean, wet cloth, and again with a dry cloth. 

Corners and deep moldings will require especial atten¬ 
tion; take a bit of whalebone and cover it with the cloth, 
and thus clean into the corners. 


What paints will you need to wash on the regular sweep¬ 
ing day? How should you clean the finger-marks from 
doors? What do vou use to clean a marble hearth? How 
do you clean the grate? When all the paints are to be 
thoroughly cleaned, how do you prepare the water? What 
must you remember? Tell just how to wash paints. What 
caution is given about wet cloths and wet hands? What do 
you use if the paints are old or discolored? How can you 
clean corners and moldings? 




16 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


RULES. 

1. Have ready a flannel cloth for washing, and dry cotton 
cloths for drying paints. 

2. Wash only a small place at a time, and dry it at 
once. 

3. Be careful never to allow the water to run from the 
cloth upon the dry paint below. 

4. Clean well in the corners and moldings. 

5. Do not use soap unless the paint is old or very 
dirty. 

6. Be very careful not to touch the wall or furniture 
with wet hands. 

7 . Rub the steel parts of a grate or stove with emery 
and oil, and black the bars of the grate with stove-black- 
ing. 

Comments. —Varnished or plain oiled wood-work can be cleaned 
by simply wiping the surface with a damp cloth to remove the dust. 
After drying it, rub with a slightly oiled cloth. Use boiled oil for all 
such purposes, and mix with one part water. After rubbing with the 
oil, polish with chamois skin. 

Wall paper can only be well dusted with a brush and a dry cloth. 
Rid) the walls with a broom having a cloth pinned around it. 

Painted walls can easily be washed, but special care is required. 
The dust should first be brushed off; then take water as hot as the 
hand can bear, and put into it one tablespoonful of ammonia to a 
quart of water. Use no soap. Begin at the ceiling and work down, 
washing only what can be easily reached at once, and drying as soon 
as well washed. Squeeze the cloth to prevent any drip of water. A 
stream of water running over the unwashed wall will discolor it per¬ 
manently. Use a large, soft cloth to wash with. Old knit underwear 
makes the best cloths for this purpose. 

Oil cloths should be washed with hot water, using little or no soap.- 
Lin deum is now much used in place of oil cloth. It is said to be 
much more durable, and more easily cleaned. 




HOW TO WASH WINDOWS. 


17 


Inside blinds are very troublesome to clean, especially when simply 
painted. Each slat must be wiped separately, and carefully dried. 

Silver-plated door-knobs and door-plates will require polishing 
every week. Special care is required in rubbing silver-plate to avoid 
touching the varnished doors. Use for cleaning them the best silver 
polish, purchased at a jeweler’s. 


CHAPTER V. 

HOW TO WASH WINDOWS. 

In city houses, exposed to smoke and furnace dust, the 
windows should, if possible, be washed every two weeks. 
With the proper materials at hand, and a little skill, windows 
can be washed very quickly and easily. 

Have readv for use a bucket one-third full of hot water, 
into which put one tablespoonful of ammonia ; also a good 
soft cloth for washing, and two or three large, clean cloths 
for drying the glass. Do not use soap. 

Arrange a step-ladder in such a way that, as you mount 
it, your right hand will be toward the window. Set the 
bucket on the top of the ladder. 

Wash each pane and dry it before wetting another. 
Wh en you have washed and dried and polished the upper 
section of the window, take the lower one in the same way. 
Wipe the dirt from the sash, but do not wash the window- 
frames while cleaning the glass. 

When the inside is well cleaned, push the upper sash 
down and the lower one half way up ; reach over the top 
and wash and dry the upper half of the lower sash ; then 






18 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


push this down, and reach over and wash the upper half of 
the upper sash. 

Now you are ready to set aside the step-ladder, and wash 
the outside of the lower half of the lower sash. To do this, 
raise the lower sash half way up ; and, with cloth in hand, 
seat yourself in the window-seat, with your body outside the 
window ; in this position wash and dry this half sash. 

When this is done, come inside ayd arrange the upper 
sash in the same way. 

Never allow your cloth to be so wet as to drip water ; 
and be very careful to clean well in the corners of the glass. 

A bit of soft paper is good to polish glass with, after it 
is wiped with a cloth. 

How often should windows be washed ? What do you 
need for washing windows ? Do you use soap ? How do 
you set the step-ladder ? Tell just how to wash a window. 
How do you wash the outside of the window ? How wet 
should the cloth be ? What do you use to polish the glass 
with ? Recite the Rules. 

RULES. 

1. Have ready for use a bucket one-third filled with hot 
water, a soft, clean washing cloth, and three large, clean 
wiping cloths. 

2. Use a spoonful of ammonia in the water, but no soap. 

3. Wash each pane and dry it before wetting another. 

4. Wash, dry and polish the inside first, beginning at 
the top. 

5. Never have the cloth wet enough to allow water to 
drop from it. 

0. Be very careful to clean well into the corners. 

7. Do the last polishing with soft paper. 

8. Change the water often, keeping it hot and clean. 



GENERAL CARE OF THE BED-ROOM. 


19 


Comments. —Kitchen windows and very smoky ones may need 
soap, or wliat is better, the Sapolio now in so common use. A. good 
number of window cloths should be prepared by the housekeeper. 
It is well not to use common towels; they soon become badly worn 
by being subject to such hard usage, and by the hard washing which 
is required to cleanse them afterward. 

Old bed linen is very good for this purpose, but it should be torn 
into proper pieces and hemmed; the cloths thus become respectable, 
and will be better taken care of. One fresh cloth will be needed for 
each window; thus, if you have two windows to wash, you will need 
two cloths for drying; and if you have more windows to wash, at 
least one fresh one for each window. 

To keep all the windows of a large house in neat condition is one 
of the greatest troubles of the housekeeper. I direct washing once 
in two weeks ; but of course this is not always best. If but little 
help is kept, it would be too hard to require the one maid-of-al 1-work 
to wash all the windows in the house so often. 


CHAPTER YI. 

GENERAL CARE OF THE BED-ROOM. 

Bed-rooms should be kept very clean, and should be well 
aired every day. 

Just as soon as the inmates have arisen and dressed, pass 
around and lay back the clothes from the beds, over chairs 
placed at the foot, so that the inside of the beds may be well 
exposed to the air ; then, if the weather is fair, open the 
windows. 

Hang the night clothes in the air. The rooms should be 
left thus exposed to the air for one hour at least. 

When the rooms are well aired, you are ready to begin 





20 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


the regular morning work. Take a covered slop-bucket, and 
another bucket half filled with hot water, a good washing 
cloth and a drying cloth, and enter the room. 

Empty all the slops into the covered bucket, and wash 
the wash-bowl and all the toilet dishes in the hot water, and 
wipe every thing dry, leaving all in good order. 

Hang damp towels up to dry, and take away soiled ones, 
remembering to replace them with clean ones. 

When you have passed around all the rooms in this way, 
empty and wash out the slop-bucket, and set it out in the 
air to dry. Wash out the cloth, and hang it in its place. 
Wash your hands, and put on a clean apron. You are now 
ready to begin to make the beds. 

Once a week, on Saturday morning, you will need to 
chano-e the bed linen. Take from the store-room the clean 

CD 

linen and put into each room such articles as will be needed, 
before beginning to make the beds. 

Families usually take from each bed every week the 
lower sheet and all the pillow cases and bolster case. If 
shams are used, these may be left for several weeks without 
change. 

White bed spreads will need to be changed once a month. 
Two towels are allowed to each person ; and these should be 
changed about three times a week. 


How should you take care of a bed-room ? How do you 
*/ «/ 

air the beds ? The niodit-clothes ? How Ions* should the 
beds be aired ? How do you empty slops and wash the toilet 
sets ? What of towels ? What of slop-buckets and cloth ? 
How do you prepare to make the beds ? When do you 
change the bed linen ? What do you take off each week ? 
How many towels to each person V 


GENERAL CARE OF THE BED-ROOM. 


21 


RULES. 

1. Pass around and lay the bed clothing back from the 
beds, and open the windows if the weather is fair. 

2. Hang up the niglu-clothing in the air. 

3. Leave the rooms thus exposed to the air for one hour. 

4. Empty all the slops, and wash all the toilet ware in 
warm water. 

5. Empty and wash the slop-bucket, and set it out in 
tne air. 

6. Wash your nands and put on a clean apron before 
beolnnino; to make the beds. 

o o 

7. On Saturday morning prepare to change the bed linen. 

Comments. —Good cloths for washing toilet ware, and paints or 
windows, may be made by taking old white stocking legs, cutting 
them down the leg, and running them two together on a sewing ma¬ 
chine; by putting the wide end of one with the narrow end of the 
other, you have a good shaped cloth, and one that will be soft, strong 
and free from lint. Old knit underwear is also very good for such 
purposes. 

Girls should not be allowed to wipe toilet sets upon the soiled 
towels, but should be required to use the proper cloth kept for that 
purpose. Soiled bed linen and towels should not be thrown carelessly 
into close closets, but should be put into a basket kept for the purpose, 
or put into a bag, to save them from becoming more soiled. These 
collections of soiled clothing should never be kept in sleeping rooms. 
They should, if possible, be removed to the laundry, or kept in 
outer rooms, exposed somewhat to the air. 

The ventilation and cleanliness of sleeping rooms is of the great¬ 
est importance for the health of the family. Young children are 
especially sensitive to the influences of bad air. If several persons 
are obliged to sleep in one room, the windows should be opened a very 
little way at night, the risk of taking cold being less than the danger 
of air-poison. One halt inch at the top, and the same space open at 
the bottom, will ventilate a room well in cool weather. If the window 
can be opened at the bottom only, a screen should be set in front of 


22 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


the window to prevent the direct current of air upon the inmates 
of the room. 

Sleep, if possible, in the larger rooms of the house; better dispense 
with a parlor than incur ill health by sleeping in crowded small 
rooms. If the windows can not be kept open all night, open them 
wide for a little time before retiring, so that all the air in the room 
may be entirely pure to begin the night with. If the weather is very 
inclement, of course the windows must not be opened. 


CHAPTER. VII. 

BED-MAKING LESSON. 

In the last chapter we told you about laying back the 
bed-clothino;, to allow the bed to be well aired. 

If the bed stands near the wall, draw it out, so that you 
can pass on both sides of it. Take off the pillows and bolster, 
and shake them well, laying them aside on a chair. 

Turn up the mattress and beat it on the under side; twice 
a week, turn the mattress over; once, drawing it forward, 
turn it over backward, and once turn the other way, bringing 
the head to the foot of the bedstead. 

In arranging the sheets, be sure to put the same one 
under, and the same end at the head, every day. The lower 
sheet should be put on right side up, and well tucked in all 
around. 

Place the upper sheet the wrong side up, allowing it to 
come up to the head-board of the bedstead; but be sure to 
allow enoirodi to tuck in well at the foot also. 

O 

In placing the blankets on, allow them to come about 



BED-MAKING LESSON. 


23 


one-half yard from the head-board, and, if double, see that 
the open end is at the head. Let the white spread come 
about six inches above the blankets. 

When all is laid on straight and even, turn the top of 
the spread under the blankets at the head, and bring the 
upper sheet over all, laying it down smooth on the outside. 
Now tuck all in smoothly on both sides, drawing the spread 
tight, and making the corners square. 

Now lay on the bolster carefully, and set the pillows up 
against the head-board neatly. If shams are used, spread 
these up over the pillows in such a way as to cover both 
pillows and bolster. Fasten the shams above the pillows 
with pins. 

In making a bed, remember to put on only one thing at 
a time, and to lay all perfectly straight and even, and very 
smooth, allowing an equal amount of clothing on each side 
of the bed. 

When the room is to be swept, spread a sheet over the 
bed to protect the pillows and spread from dust. 

If the bed stands near the wall,' what should we do? 
What do you do with the pillows and bolster? What with 
the mattress? How do you put on the sheets? How the 
blankets and white spread? How do you lay open the bed 
at the head? How do you make the bed smooth and square? 
How do you put on the pillows and shams? What must you 
remember in making a bed? When the room is to be swept, 
what do you do? 

RULES. 

1. Shake up the pillows and bolster, and lay them aside 
uuon a chair. 

2. Turn up the mattress, and beat it upon the under 
side* 




24 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


3. Twice a week turn the mattress over—once from front 
to back and once from head to foot. 

4. Always put the same sheet under and the same end at 
the head, every day. 

5. Allow the upper sheet to come above the blankets 
enouo-h to turn over well. 

G. Spread all the clothes on very smooth and even, and 
draw them tio’ht over the bed. 

o 

7 . Tuck all in neatly around the bed. 

Comments. —It is well to have mattresses covered with some easily 
washed material. They wear better and are much neater when thus 
covered, the covers being washed once or twice a year. 

A comfort made just the size of the mattress, of some good wash¬ 
ing material, and laid over the mattress, is a great protection, and it 
adds much to the comfort of the bed. These are best when filled with 
wool. Once a year the tacks can be cut and the outside washed. The 
work of retacking is but little, and the comfort of a clean, soft bed is 
greatly increased by this little addition. 

If shams and fine white spreads are used, these should be all laid 
aside at night, with the large pillows. Turn the spread back double, 
and lay it over the foot-board. Lay the pillows aside, and spread the 
shams over them.. 

Pillow-shams should be starched very stiff, and very carefully 
ironed. With care, they may be used a long time. A very nice way 
to make shams stay in place, without pins, is to put tapes diagonally 
across the upper corners in such a way that the pillows may be slipped 
into the tapes, thus holding the shams in proper place. 

In country districts, feather-beds are still in common use. These 
require to be frequently exposed to the sun and air, to keep the feathers 
sweet and dry. The feather-bed must of course be thoroughly shaken 
up and turned over every day. 


CARE OF THE BED-ROOM. 


25 


CHAPTER VIII. 

CARE OF THE BED-ROOM —Continued. 

After the bed is neatly made, you should take care of the 
night-clothing by hanging it up in the closet in its proper 
place. 

Other articles of clothing; which may be lying about the 
room should be picked up and put away. In hanging up 
dresses, always take care to hang them by the loops made 
for that purpose. 

The basques should be folded and laid upon shelves or in 
drawers. Shoes and boots should be set up in order in their 
places in the closet. Slippers are put in a slipper-case or 
shoe-bag. 

The bureau will require attention. Pick up and put away 
everything about it in good order. Clear the hair from hair- 
brushes, wipe the combs and brush with a bit of soft paper, 
and put them in their places. With a dust-pan and whisk- 
broom, sweep up any scraps of dirt about the room. 

Now take the duster and dust the furniture, setting every 
thing in its proper place. Before leaving the room, close the 
windows and draw the curtains. 

On sweeping day, take all the bed-clothes from the bed, 
p.acing them upon a chair out of the way, and turn up the 
nnttress, and brush the dust from the springs and lower part 
of the bedstead. 

Once a month the bedstead should be well washed with 
warm water. If the bedstead is old or ill-made, wash with 




20 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


strong brine, and use insect-powder in the cracks and join¬ 
ings. In very warm weather, this should be done every two 
weeks. 

Twice a year, put the mattresses out in the sun and air, 
and beat them with a strap to remove dust and loosen the 
hair or moss. 

The wood-work of the room should be kept clean, es¬ 
pecially the base-boards. Rooms that’ are kept clean and 
cool, and free from dust, will seldom be infested with bed¬ 
bugs. 

How do you put away night-clothes? How other cloth¬ 
ing? How do you hang up dresses? What do you do with 
basques? boots and shoes? the bureau? combs and brush? 
How clean the dust from the floor? the furniture? What 
do you do before leaving the room? What on sweeping 
day? Once a month, what? If the bedstead is old, what? 
Twice a year, what? How should the wood-work be kept? 

RULES. 

1. Hang the night-clothing in its place in the closet. 

2. Pick up and put away in place all articles of clothing 
lying about the room. 

3. In hanging clothing up upon hooks, be very careful to 
hang them by the loops for that purpose. 

4. Brush any specks of dirt from the floor upon the dust¬ 
pan. 

5. Dust the furniture, and see that every thing is set in 
its proper place. 

6. Before leaving the room, close the blinds and shut tie 
windows. 

7. Once a month give the bed-room a thorough cleaning, 

O O' 

washing the bedstead and all the wood-work. 




THE BATH-ROOM, WATER-PIPES, AND GAS. 


27 


Comments. —In old houses, which have been occupied by a variety 
of tenants, it will be very difficult to keep beds clear from bugs. 
Nothing will do it but constant vigilance on the part of the house¬ 
keeper. 

If possible, have the rooms painted anew, and if the bedstead is old 
have it varnished very thoroughly in all those parts likely to be in¬ 
fested. Buy at a paint-shop a little varnish and a small brush, and’ 
do the work yourself. Even when you have no reason to suspect the 
presence of these creatures, it is best to go over all the beds carefully, 
once a month. 

They may be brought into a house by visitors, in their trunks or 
in clothing. The neatest people may unconsciously be the means 
of trouble, through their contact with railroad-cars or boats in travel¬ 
ing. 

Insect-powder will clear the beds if you use it very thoroughly, 
going into every crack and cranny, and repeating the work every 
week till a complete cure is accomplished. 


CHAPTER IX. 

THE BATH-ROOM, WATER-PIPES, AND GAS. 

Every morning the bath-room should be put in good 
order. Damp towels must be hung up to dry, and soiled 
ones taken away. Wash-cloths and sponges should be 
washed out and hung to dry. 

The stationary washstand should have the marble top and 
bowl thoroughly cleaned with warm water and soap. Rinse 
the bath-tub with clean water. 

If there is a water-closet in the room, this may be cleaned 
by turning on the water and washing the bowl with a cloth 





28 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK, 


kept for that purpose. Use soap and hot water, if the hot 
water is at hand. 

Once a week, lift the seat and wash the bowl, both in¬ 
side and outside, as far as can be reached with the hand, 
leaving- the water running* till all is thoroughly clean. 

Be very careful never to throw dust, hair, or scraps of 
any kind into the water-closet. Great damage is done to 
houses bv careless persons in this wav, by clogging the 
pipes. 

On the weekly cleaning day, the bath-room should have 
a thorough cleaning. Wash the bath-tub with hot water 
and soap; if the zinc lining is dark-colored, scour it with 
pulverized Bristol brick. The floor, if uncarpeted, will need 
scrubbing. 

Rub all the faucets with silver polish. 

Take care to air the room by raising the skylight, if this 
is the only window. 

In very cold weather, there is danger of frost in the water- 
pipes. Before going to bed at night, turn the water off from 
the house. Remember to have some vessels filled with water 
for an emergencv before turning the water off. 

Gas is made from bituminous coal. The coal is put into 
large iron boxes or retorts, and heated very hot, thus pro¬ 
ducing smoke, which is purified until it becomes the gas we 
burn. 

Gas, if allowed to escape into a room, becomes a deadly 
poison. The smell of it is very offensive, so if the leak occurs 
in the davtime we are sure to discover it; but if it is not 
properly turned off at night, its escape into sleeping-rooms 
may cause death to the inmates. We should therefore be 
verv careful to turn it entirelv off. It is dangerous to leave 
gas burning very low at night, as a little wind may blow it 
out while we are sleeping. 



THE BATH-ROOM, WATER PIPES, AND GAS. 


29 

Gas is an expensive light. For this reason we should be 
watchful to turn the jets out as soon as they are not needed 
for light. 

Care should also be taken to avoid turning on the full 
force of light, as the gas will often escape too fast to be 
burned. 

The jets should occasionally be washed, to clear them 
from dust. If they become dirty, the flame will not be 
clear. Dirt may be picked from the openings with a pin. 
A bat’swing burner is cleared of dust by means of the edge 
of a slip of paper. The glass globes should be washed on 
sweeping day. 


What do you do in the bath-room every morning? How 
do you clean the wash-stand and bath-tub? How do you 
clean the water-closet? How do you clean it once a week? 
What must be carefully kept out of the water-closet? On 
the weekly cleaning day, how do you clean the bath-tub? 
How the floor and the silver-plated faucets? How do you 
air the bath-room? How do you prevent the water from 
freezing in the water-pipes? How is gas made? If gas is 
allowed to escape into a room, what is the effect? How should 
we avoid the danger? Why should you turn gas off when 
the light is not needed? How do you clean gas-jets and 
glass globes? 

RULES. 


1. See that the bath-room is put in good order every 
morning. 

2. Hang up all damp towels to dry, and wash out sponges 
and wash-cloths, and hang them to dry. 

3. Turn the water into the water-closet, and wash the 
bowl with a cloth and soap. 





30 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


4. Once a week clean all very thoroughly—the bath-tub, 
wash-stand, and the floor of the room. 

5. Once a day open the window and air the room well. 

6. Never throw scraps of any sort, or dust, into the water- 
closet. 

7. In very cold weather, turn all the water off, to prevent 
frost in the pipes. 

8. In burning gas, take great care’to prevent its escape 
into the room. 

9. Never allow gas to burn when the light is not needed 
for use. 

Comments —In common city houses the bath-room is made to 
serve for several purposes, and thus it is in frequent use. Unless 
great pains is taken in the care of such a room, the foul air accumu¬ 
lating becomes a fruitful source of disease. Many disinfectants are 
recommended for use in waste pipes; but, after all, the best one is 
good pure air from without, and the use of plenty of water. No ob¬ 
struction which will impede the free flow of water should ever be al¬ 
lowed to remain in the pipes. 

Dust and threads, bits of cloth, or hair, must be very carefully kept 
out of the pipes. In houses where several families occupy one house, 
still greater care is required. 

No greasy water should ever be allowed in these water-closet 
pipes. Grease is one of the worst impediments to the free flow of 
water. 


ANSWERING THE DOOR-BELL. 


31 


CHAPTER X. 

ANSWERING THE DOOR-BELL. 

If it is your business to answer the door-bell, you should 
try to remember in the morning to dress yourself neatly, so 
that you can be ready to go without much preparation. Still, 
it you are busy in the kitchen, it will be necessary for you 
to see that your hands are clean, and take time to drop off a 
soiled apron and roll down your sleeves, before going to 
the door. 

If upon opening the door you see at once that the person 
calling is some friend of the family, open the door without 
delay, and ask the person to please walk in. 

When the guest is inside the door, he will tell you whom 
he wishes to see, and may offer you a card. In any case, 
ask him into the parlor, and request him to be seated. 

If he does not offer you a card, say politely, “ Who shall 
I say wishes to see the lady?” Having learned the name, 
proceed to deliver the message to the person called for. 

Return immediately to the parlor, and say that the lady 
will be in very soon. If the room is dark, open a blind 
slightly, and leave the room. 

If, however, on opening the door, you are at all doubtful 
of the business of the caller, quietly hold the door, and wait 
till the person makes known his business. 

If he proves to be a peddler or agent of any kind, do not 
ask him in, nor leave him standing in the open door while 
you run to ask the lady what you shall say to him ; just say 




32 PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 

to him, “Please wait outside, while I go to ask the lady 
then shut the door, and go for your instructions. 

Don’t speak rudely to any stranger at the door. You 
may be very firm in your refusal to buy ; but speak kindly 
and politely to all. 

Trv to learn to distinguish the mail carrier’s ring, and 

t j CD O 1 

answer his summons immediately ; he must never be kept 
waiting. * * 

How shall you dress, if you are to answer the door-bell ? 
What do you do if some friend of the family is at the door ? 
What next do you do ? If you find a stranger at the door, 
what do you do ? If you wish to ask instructions, what do 
you do ? How do you speak to all strangers who call ? 

RULES. 

1. Keep yourself neatly dressed, and never go to the 
door with wet or soiled hands. 

2. If the person calling is a friend of the family, ask 
him at once to walk in. 

3. Learn the name of the visitor as soon as vou have 

%/ 

asked him to be seated. 

4. If the person at the door is a stranger, do not ask him 
in ; but wait at the door till he makes known his business. 

5. If you wish to ask instructions from the lady, close 
the door, leaving the person on the outside till you return. 

G. Be very firm in carrying out the lady’s instructions, 
but do it in a polite, kindly manner. 

7 . Never speak rudely to a stranger at the door. 

Comments. —The number of calls at our doors is sometimes quite 
exasperating. If, however, we only call it to mind that all these people 
are in some way dependent upon these solicitations for their -daily 


PREPARING CLOTHES FOR THE WASH. 


33 


bread, we shall, perhaps, be more patient in answering their various 
questions. 

So many adventurers are afloat upon the community in large cities, 
that it is hardly safe to send a very young person to answer the 
door-bell. 

Girls having charge of the door should be given very cart ful in¬ 
structions with regard to peddlers, beggars and the like. Still,many 
cases of doubtful character will come when it is best to call the 
lady to see the person in question. It is inhuman to give orders to 
have all beggars or peddlers discharged without an interview. 

Some articles can be purchased at the door only; and some beggars 
are well worthy of our sympathy and aid. 

Special directions should be given to girls to close the outer doors 
after the visitor enters, and after he leaves. 


CHAPTER XI. 

PREPARING CLOTHES FOR THE WASH. 

Monday or Tuesday is the best time in the week for 
washing. The clothes wash easier, if washed soon after they 
are laid aside ; and the ironing, folding and mending may 
all be finished before the last days of the week. 

Tuesday is the best day, because you then have plenty 
of time to gather all the clothes together, and to put them 
to soak over night. 

See that you have soap, starch and bluing in the house, 
ready for use. You will need at least three tubs, a wash¬ 
board, a washboiler, four common wooden buckets, and a 
bench of proper height to set the tubs upon. 

A clothes line will also be needed, clothes-pins and a 
clothes-basket. A wringer is a verv good thing to have. 

Collect all the clothes together, tie them up in a sheet, 
3 







34 


PARLOR, BED-KOOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


and take them to the laundry or kitchen, on the evening 
before wash day. Bring in the tubs and set them upon the 
bench, ready to receive the clothes as they are assorted. 

Select the finest white clothes and put them into one of 
the tubs. If the wash is not very large, you may put with 
these the best table linen. All the starched clothes will go 
into this tub. Next, select the sheets, pillow-slips and white 
towels for the next tub ; white bedspreads may go with 
these. Now we have left all the more soiled wearing 
clothes ; put these together in the other tub, {tutting the 
most soiled ones in the bottom of the tub. 

Before putting clothes to soak, see that every thing is un¬ 
folded and right side out. If there are stains upon the table 
linen, or any other clothes, leave such out of the tubs. 
These must have special attention. 

Put all calicoes and flannels into the clothes-basket and 
leave them dry. Pour cold water into the tubs till the 
clothes are Till thoroughly wet through. 

In the morning, rise early and build a good, steady fire ; 
then putr the washboiler on, half filled with water, to heat. 
Then wring out the clothes, and place them in piles upon the 
table, in the same order in which they came from the tubs. 

What are the best days in the week for washing ? Whv ? 
Which is the best day, and why ? What things will you 
need to use for washing ? Where do you put all the dirty 
clothes 'i How do you assort the clothes ? What do you 
put into the second tub ? What into the third tub ? What 
must you take special care about ? What do you do with 
flannels and calicoes ? What is the first thing to be done ir 
the morning ? What is the next thing to'be done ? 


PREPARING CLOTHES FOR THE WASH. 


35 


RULES. 

1. Prepare to do the washing either on Monday or Tues 
day. 

2. See that you have soap, starch and bluing in the 
house, ready for use. 

3. First, collect all the clothes together in the laundry, or 
kitchen. 

4. Put all the finest, white clothes into one tub. 

5. Put the sheets, pillow-cases, white towels and bed¬ 
spreads into another tub. 

G. Into the last tub put all the more soiled white clothes. 

7. Lay aside the calicoes and flannels dry, to be washed 
the next day. 

8. Pour enough cold water into the tubs to wet -all the 
clothes thoroughly. 

9. In the morning, put on the boiler, half filled with 
water, to heat. 

10. Wring out the clothes, and place them in piles upon 
the table, just as they come from the tub. 

Comments. — It is the experience of the best housekeepers that 
clothes wash much easier when soaked over night. If warm water is 
at hand, use it in cold weather. To those housekeepers avIio have 
always washed on Monday, I would say, try Tuesday. If the other 
work of the week can be adjusted to suit the change, I think you 
will.find some decided advantages in the change. 

If, in assorting clothes, articles of a kind are put together, they 
may be easily kept so throughout the wash, and finally hung out on 
the line in neat order. 

Wasliboilers should be made of copper. Tin boilers so soon be. 

• • 

come rusty, that it is very poor economy to buy them at all. 

Clothes wringers should be very carefully oiled every week. A 
great amount of strength is required to turn a wringer which is in 
need of oil. If the wringer is kept well oiled, the clothes can be run 
through easily, even when the screws are down tight. 




36 PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 

Buy an oil-can with the wringer, and keep it tilled with machine 
oil, and always at hand for use. 

A little wooden frame is now made, to set in the tub to receive 
clothes from the boiling suds, and is a very good thing to have. 

Buy the best laundry soap. Always buy by the box, if possible. 
Soap is better when old, and it is much cheaper by the box. Large 
bottles of bluing are cheaper than small ones. Keep bluing from the 
frost. 


CHAPTER XII. 

WASHING BY THE USUAL METHOD. 

Put two buckets of warm water into a tub, and place in 
the tub a part of the finest white clothes. First wash the 
most delicate fabrics by hand, using a little soap; then take 
the washboard and rub each article separately, rubbing soap 
on all the soiled parts. 

Take especial pains with the collar-bands and wrist-bands 
of shirts; also, with the hems and fells of under garments. 
When the article seems quite clean, wring it out and put it 
into another tub for a second washing. 

When you have washed all the finest clothes through the 
first tub, take them in like manner through the second tub; 
these are now ready to boil, and should be turned wrong side 
out, and put on at once. 

Prepare the boiling suds by shaving up soap in the pro¬ 
portion of one-sixth of a bar for each bucket of water in the 
boiler. If the boiler is perfectly clean, no bag is needed to 
put the clothes into. Just put them into the boiler, being 
careful not to crowd too many in at one time. 

The clothes should be put into the water before it comes 
to a boil, and should be scalded about twenty minutes. 





WASHING BY THE USUAL METHOD. 


37 


Don’t allow the water to boil hard and run over, but check 
the fire, and keep the water simmering slowly. Turn the 
clothes over, and push them down with a clothes stick. 

After the second boilerful of clothes has been boiled, a 
clean suds will be needed. Dip the cold, dirty suds from 
the washing-tubs frequently, and renew with clean hot 
water. 

Take clothes from the boiler into a clean tub, and set the 
tub in such a way as to drain the water from the clothes. 

Put the first clothes taken from the boiler into a tub of 
clean warm water, and wash them all quite thoroughly by 
hand. From this water put them into the rinse water, and 
from the rinse water into the blue water. , 

In preparing the blue water, put a little bluing into a 
bucket partly filled with water, and from this into the tub, 
being very careful not to get the water too blue. Try it by 
putting in some article of clothing to see if it is properly 
blued. 

Don’t allow clothes to soak in the blue water; rinse and 
wring out at once. 

To wash flannels, prepare a clean hot suds, and put all 
the white flannels in the tub at one time. Wash first the 
cleanest and finest ones by hand; then others, using the 
board. Use very little soap upon the flannels; the soap 
should be dissolved in the water, but not rubbed on the gar¬ 
ments, unless they are very much soiled. 

Flannels should be washed through two waters, and 
rinsed in warm water, slightly blued. Shake and stretch 
them out well, and hang to dry immediately. Colored flan¬ 
nels must never be put in with white ones. They may be 
washed in the same suds after the white ones, if the water is 
not too dirtv. 

Calicoes should be washed in a clean hot suds, rinsed, 



38 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


starched, and hung up to dry at once. Light calicoes must 
be washed in clean water, rinsed in clean water, and starched 
in clear starch, if you would have them keep clean and 
fresh-looking. 

Stockings require especial care; they should always be 
turned and rubbed on the wrong side, as well as on the right 
side; these, too, should be rinsed, wrung very dry, and hung 
up immediately. 

How do you wash the finest clothes? Where do you use 
soap? What do you take special pains with? When you 
have washed all the finest clothes through the first water, 
what do you do next? Then what? How do you prepare 
the boiling suds? How do you boil the clothes? When the 
water in the tub is cold and dirty, what is to be done? How 
do you take clothes from the boil? What do you next do 
with them? How do you prepare the blue water? How 
do you wash the flannels? How, the calicoes? How, the 
stockings? 

RULES. 

1. Wash the finest clothes by hand, using soap upon the 
soiled parts. 

2. With the washboard, rub all the other clothes, being 
careful to rub the soiled parts, especially. 

3. When all are washed through the first water, wash 
again through another clean water. 

4. Scald the clothes for half an hour, stirring them 
occasionally; and never allow the water to boil hard. 

5. Take up the clothes with a stick, into the tub, and 
drain them well before putting them into the sudsing water. 

G. Rinse through two waters, the last one being a blue 
water. 


WASHING BY THE USUAL METHOD. 


39 


7. Wash flannels in a clean hot suds, and rinse in warm 
water, and hang up immediately. 

8. Rinse calicoes in clean water, starch, and dry at 
once. 

9. Stockings should be turned and washed on the wrong 
side, rinsed well, and hung smoothly on the line. 

Comments. — In this chapter, I have given directions for the com¬ 
mon method of washing. A very slow and tiresome work it is, 
making wash-day the most tiresome day of the week, and interfering 
with the cooking, and all other proper house work. I direct that all 
the clothes be turned before going into the boil. This, of course, 
makes it necessary to turn them all again before they are ironed. 
Now, if you have a clean place to dry clothes, and if the line is clean, 
as it should be, there is really no advantage in turning all the clothes. 

Fine starched clothes should be turned to save the right side from 
any possible dirt; but the others, except such as require washing on 
the wrong side, can be hung up right side out. 

I do not direct soaping clothes before putting them into the boil. 
It saves time to cut the soap into the water, and is equally as good for 
the clothes. 

There is a notion among washerwomen that clothes must be put into 
cold water to boil; but there is no reason for this. The water may be 
scalding hot without any injury to the clothes. 

The work of putting up the line and taking it in should be, if 
possible, performed by some man. It requires more strength to put it 
up well than most girls have, and will always be better done by the 
man, or boy. 

Girls waste soap by rubbing the spot of dirt with a quantity of 
soap, giving a rub or two, and then dipping the garment into the water 
and rinsing it all off. After rubbing on soap, the spot should be 
rubbed till the dirt is loosened before dipping in the water. 

I hope that before many years shall have passed, all the washing 
of families will be taken from the house to the laundry, where it 
should be done better and cheaper than it can be done in the private 
family. 




40 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

STARCHING AND DRYING CLOTHES. 

♦ $ 


To make boiled starch: take two heaping tablespoonfuls 
of starch to one quart of boiling water. 

Put the dry starch into a clean tin pan, and wet it with 
eight tablespoonfuls of cold water, mixing it well, till all is 
a smooth, creamy paste. 

Now pour on to the mixture, slowly, one quart of boiling 
water, stirring constantly. It should appear clear and thick, 
b*ut free from lumps or uneven streaks. Set the pan on the 
stove, and allow it to boil ten minutes, stirring frequently. 

The starch should be used while quite hot. First, starch 
the shirts and collars; then a little water maybe stirred into 
the starch, to prepare it for other clothes. 

Shirts should always be turned wrong side out before 
they are starched. Dip in the bosom and cuffs, rubbing 
them well to make the starch penetrate through the linen; 
then squeeze them and straighten them out, ready for dry- 
ing. 

White skirts should be put into quite thick starch; after 
the skirts, starch the bottoms of ladies’ drawers, white 
aprons, and any other garments which may require starch. 

If the clothes are to be hung out of doors to dry, the 
line should be put up early, and wiped, to be all ready when 
the first articles are ready. 

Hang the starched clothes in the best sunshine, that they 
may dry quickly. 




STARCHING AND DRYING CLOTHES. 


41 


In hanging up clothes, first shake them out well, and 
then hang them in such a way as to expose as much as 
possible to the sunshine and air, fastening each article with 
a pin which joins two garments together on the line. 

Clothes-pins should be kept in a clean bag, or basket, and 
carefully put away as soon as the clothes are taken from the 
line. Arrange a pocket or bag in such a way that it can be 
tied around the waist, placing the pocket on the right side. 
In this way, you can take a pin without stooping to pick it 
up. In taking down the clothes, you can, in the same way, 
drop the pins in the bag. 

Tell/?^ how boiled starch is made. How should it ap¬ 
pear if well made? How long should starch boil? How 
should the starch be used? How do you starch shirts? 
How, white skirts? What about clothes-lines? How do 
you hang up clothes to dry? How should clothes-pins be 
kept? How can a pocket be made to put the pins in? 

RULES. 

1. To make boiled starch, take two heaping tablespoon¬ 
fuls of starch to a quart of water. 

2. Mix the starch to a smooth paste with eight table¬ 
spoonfuls of cold water. 

3. Pour on boiling water, slowly, stirring constantly till 
all is smooth and clear; boil hard for ten minutes. 

4. Shirt bosoms, cuffs and collars should be starched 
while the starch is quite hot. 

5. Rub the starch well into the linen; then squeeze out 
and rub again. 

6. For other clothes, the starch may be thinned with a 
very little cold water. 




42 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


7. Hang clothes on the line smooth and even, fastening 
them with clothes-pins. 

8. Keep the clothes-pins in a clean bag, and never allow 
them to lie around and get dirty. 

Comments. —I give the recipe for one quart of starch, but this will 
need to be doubled for any ordinary family washing. 

There are many ways of making starch ’to prevent the iron from 
sticking, and to polish the linen. I have given the simplest method, 
and I do not think any sperm, lard or butter is needed, if the starch 
is properly made and well boiled. It is not enough to have a few 
bubbles in the pan, but it should boil decidedly for some minutes. 

Boiled starch should always be used while very hot. If shirts are 
well dried, and then dipped dry into the hot starch, they will require 
much less of it to stiffen them. Dip the bosom in, and let it lie till 
cool enough to be squeezed out. 

White glue is used at the laundries for shirt bosoms. Dissolve 
about a teaspoonful of the glue in a few spoonfuls of warm water, 
and add it to the starch. The glue takes some time to dissolve, and 
must be set in a dish of hot water on the stove. 

Fine cambrics and muslins, also, black and dark brown calicoes, 
are much nicer stiffened in glue water without starch. 

It is not best to make the starch very stiff; better for clothes which 
are required to be very stiff to starch and dry, and then starch again 
and dry. In this way they may be made very stiff, and still iron 
easily. To produce a papery stiffness, dip, when entirely dry, in raw 
starch, and roll up in a dry sheet. Some use flour starch for common 
calicoes; this should be made in the same way; it must be well boiled 
and strained through a thin cloth before it is ready for use. 

There is a prejudice against drying clothes in the house; but in 
winter, a great amount of exposure, both to the clothes and to the 
person who does the work, is saved by drying in doors. 

If a good fire is kept, and they are dried quickly, they will look 
just as well. 





EASIER METHODS OF WASHING. 


43 


CHAPTEK XIV. 

EASIER METHODS OF WASHING. 

Soak the white clothes over night, as before directed. 

Prepare a washing fluid by dissolving one one-pound box 
of Babbitt’s potash in a gallon of warm water. In dissolv¬ 
ing the potash, be careful not to breathe the powdered 
potash, and never put it into boiling water. It should be 
put into either cold or luke-warm water; and the vessel may be 
set upon the stove, stirring it occasionally till all is dissolved. 

Place the wash-boiler upon the stove, with three bucket¬ 
fuls of water in it; and put into the water one pint of the 
washing fluid, and one-half bar of soap, cut into thin shav¬ 
ings. Into this suds, put the best white clothes, which have 
been wrung out of the soaking water. Let them come to a 
boil, and scald them about thirty minutes, stirring and turn¬ 
ing them occasionally with the stick. 

Take the clothes from the boiler, and drain them well, 
returning the water thus drained off for the next clothes. 
The same water may be used three times, putting in fewer 
clothes each time. 

When the clothes are drained, put them into a tub of 
warm water, and wash them, using the washboard for the 
more soiled ones. A good washing by hand will be sufficient 
for the cleanest clothes. Rinse them thoroughly in three 
waters, the first being warm water. 

If you can have a washing-machine to take them through 
as they come from the boil, it will be a great saving of labor, 
and of time. 





44 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


Collars and cuffs should all be tacked together with a 
needle and thread, in lots of eight or ten each, before they 
are put into the wash. 

Flannels and calicoes may be washed in the suds, after 
the white clothes. The potash will not injure the colors of 
prints if they are fast colors; but doubtful ones should not 
be put into the suds. 

Fully half the labor of washing is saved by this method. 

There is no danger of injury to the clothes. It has been 
thoroughly tried by many good housekeepers for five or six 
years. 

How is washing fluid made? What caution is given 
about making the fluid? How do you prepare the water for 
boiling the clothes? How long should the clothes boil? 
What do you do with the clothes when they are taken from 
the boiler? How many times can you use the same water? 
How do you wash the boiled clothes? How many waters 
do you rinse the clothes in? What is said about washing- 
machines? Collars and cuffs? Flannels and calicoes? How 
much labor is saved by this method? Will it injure the 
clothes? 

RULES. 

1. Soak the white clothes over night in cold water. 

2. Prepare a washing fluid by dissolving one box of 
Babbitt’s potash in a gallon of warm water. 

3. To dissolve it well, set the vessel containing the fluid 
on the stove, and warm gradually and stir occasionally. 

4. Put three buckets of water into the wash-boiler, and 
into this put one pint of fluid; also, cut up one-half bar of 
soap in the water; use proportional quantities for less water. 

5. Scald the clothes in this suds, as usual. 



EASIER METHODS OF WASHING. 


45 


6. Drain the clothes well when you take them out, and 
return the water into the boiler. 

7. Wash the clothes through clean hot water, and then 
rinse thoroughly through three waters. 

Comments. — Unless the wash is very small, it is best to prepare a 
; clean boiling suds for the sheets and pillow-slips and towels. 

If the girl who washes has very tender hands, it will be best to 
rinse the clothes in clean water a little before washing them by hand. 

; ; A washing-machine is just the thing for this method of washing. No 
: entirely satisfactory machine has yet been invented for washing; but 
there are several iii market which arc vastly better than none. Any 
help that can be found for this laborious work should be procured. 
Time and human strength have a money value; and if we can save 
them by a machine, let us have it, by all means. 

The use of this simple alkali fluid is harmless to the clothes, and 
it certainly saves more than half the hard labor, and fully half the 
time. It, however, must not be put into the hands of ignorant wash¬ 
erwomen without the supervision of some intelligent person. 

Nice flannels should be washed in clean suds. A very little of the 
fluid added to the suds will soften the flannels, and will aid greatly in 
cleansing them. One tablespoonful is enough for a gallon of water. 
Colored stockings, whether woolen or cotton, require special attention. 
They should be washed in clean warm-water, by hand, using a little 
soap. Turn and wash on the wrong side, rinse well, and wring very 
dry. Hang them out immediately where they will dry quickly. 

Don’t risk, in the suds which has the fluid in it, any red flannels 
or calicoes, which are at all uncertain. All really fast colors are not 
injured, but heightened, by the potash. 

There is a method of washing flannels and all woolen goods which 
is highly recommended by reliable housekeepers. 

Make a cold suds, using plenty of soap, and if the water is hard, 
a little alkali of some sort. Put the flannels to soak in this suds for 
several hours before they are washed. Wash them out by hand, and 
put them into another clean cold suds. Wash in the same way from 
this water, rinse and hang up to dry. The finest colored flannels may 
be w r ashed by this method without danger of fading. 







46 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


CHAPTER XY 

FOLDING AND SPRINKLING CLOTHES FOR IRONING. 

If you began washing early, and worked steadily, you 
should have all the clothes dry in time to sprinkle and fold 
for the next day’s ironing. 

In warm, dry weather, the first clothes washed will be 
ready to bring in before the last ones are hung out. It is 
best to bring in the clothes as soon as they are perfectly dry. 
Put them in a clean place till you are ready to sprinkle. 

For sprinkling, have a clean, large table, a basin of water, 
and a basket ready to receive the clothes. First, turn all 
the clothes right side out, except starched ones; as you turn 
them, lay them in piles, assorting them somewhat. 

Fold sheets first, lengthways, with the rio-ht side out; 
then bring the two ends together; fold again in the same 
direction. Now, take hold of the middle of the sheet as 
folded, and shake it well, to bring out the selvage edges. 
It may now be folded again, and laid aside for sprinkling. 
Table-cloths are folded in the same way. 

Sprinkle the water lightly from the right hand. Un¬ 
starched clothes require but little sprinkling, except the 
selvage edges and hems; these should be well dampened, 
and turned inside, to roll up. 

Table-cloths and napkins should be sprinkled all over, 
very carefully, and rolled very tight and smooth. 

Starched clothes should not be turned until just before 
ironing, as the turning will take out the starch somewhat: 





FOLDING AND SPRINKLING CLOTHES FOR IRONING. 47 


for the same reason, do not try to pull them straight while 
they are dry. 

Sprinkle a dress or skirt evenly, all over, and roll it tight 
in a towel. I-ay all the starched clothes in one end of the 
basket. Shirts and collars may be laid aside until morning, 
as these require to lie two hours only to prepare them for 

iron in o-. 

© 

To prepare the shirts, make a raw starch by dissolving 
one tablespoonful of starch in a pint of warm water. Dip 
the bosoms and cuffs in, and squeeze them; then roll them 
tight, leaving the muslin parts of the shirt dry. 

When do you bring in the clothes? What things do you 
have ready for sprinkling clothes? What do you do first? 
How do you fold sheets? How do you sprinkle? Un¬ 
starched clothes? Table-cloths and napkins? What is said 
about starched clothes? A dress or skirt? How do you 
make raw starch? How do you starch shirts? 


RULES. 

1. Take the clothes down from the line, and bring them 
in, just as soon as they are dry. 

2. For sprinkling clothes, have ready a clean, large table, 
a basin of clean water, and a clothes-basket. 

3. Turn all unstarched clothes right side out, and fold 
sheets and table-cloths. 

4. Be careful to sprinkle selvage edges and hems of 
sheets, and roll tight. 

5. Starched clothes should be sprinkled carefully, all 
over, and rolled very tight. 

G. To make raw starch, take one tablespoonful of starch 
to one pint of warm water, and stir it well. 


48 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


7'. Dip the bosoms and cuffs of shirts in the raw starch, 
and roll them up tight. 

8. Cover the basket of sprinkled clothes with some thick 
cloth, to prevent them from drying. „ 

Comments. —Some experience is required to dampen clothes just 
right. 

The water should be thrown on very evenly; not in great slops 
here and there, leaving a part of the article entirely dry. Avoid 
making unstarched clothes very damp; a much longer time will be 
required to iron clothes which are too moist. Even the finest starched 
clothes only require to be thoroughly damp all over, not really wet. 
The ease (f the ironing will depend much upon the skill of the 
sprinkler. If clothes are well folded and rolled very tight, they are 
much easier and better ironed than when carelessly sprinkled and 
tossed together in all sorts of disorder, mixing starched and un¬ 
starched articles in one bundle. 

Lay articles of a kind together, as far as possible; then, in iron¬ 
ing, no time need be lost in searching for certain classes of clothes. 
When your iron is just right for the fine skirt or dress, you can lay 
your hand upon the article desired at once. It is well to lay the sheets 
and heavy articles on the top of the basket, as their weight will hold 
the moisture in the finer clothes. 

The quickest way to sprinkle a large washing is to take a pan of 
warm water, begin to sprinkle at once, without turning or sorting the 
clothes at all. Lay out the first thing you come to, sprinkle it, and 
lay another on to it, sprinkle, and thus proceed till you have a high 
pile, then push these aside, and sprinkle another pile. When all are 
dampened, turn over the first lot, and turn each garment, fold and roll 
smooth, putting, as far as possible, articles of a kind together. In 
this way, starched clothes may be turned and straightened out. 


IRONING LESSON. 


49 


CHAPTER XVI. 

IRONING LESSON. 

To iron, you will need six good flat-irons; two should be 
quite large, two small, and two medium-sized. 

The ironing table should be perfectly level, and very 
firm. Never use the leaf of a table to iron on; but do your 
ironing on the solid part; the blanket may extend over the 
leaf, to allow plenty of room to spread out large articles. 

The blanket should be folded very smoothly; no seams 
or uneven places should come under where the iron will 
pass. The sheet, also, should be laid on smoothly, and 
drawn tight over the corners. To hold all secure, pin the 
corners down under the table. 

Lay a thick piece of paper on the right-hand corner, and 
upon this place the iron-stand and the cloth-rubber. Have 
a bit of wax at hand to use for smoothing the irons. Two- 
good, well-made iron-holders will be needed. 

Have a good, steady fire in the stove, and put on the 
irons to heat some time before you are ready to iron. Set 
clothes-frame ready to receive the clothes as they are ironed. 

If the irons are quite hot, begin to iron with the rough 
towels, and such things as can be ironed rapidly. When 
you iron a sheet, leave it folded in eight thicknesses; iron 
on both sides, and then refold and iron again, and so on till 
the sheet is ironed all over. 

Table-cloths should be left doubled the long way. Be¬ 
gin at one end, and iron very carefully to bring out the 
edges straight, and polish the linen. Iron both sides thor- 
4 



50 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


oughly; then fold and refold, ironing all the folds, till it is 
a proper size to put in the drawer. Table-cloths should be 
ironed perfectly dry, and never hung on the bars. 

Table napkins should be ironed out square and even, 
then folded by bringing the selvages together, then again in 
the same direction; then fold up into a small square, press¬ 
ing hard with the iron to hold all in place. 

Handkerchiefs should be folded first one way and then 
the other, to form a square, four double, then again in a 
smaller square. Napkins and handkerchiefs should be 
ironed dry, and not put on the bars. 

Towels should be first doubled in the middle, and shaken 
violently, to bring out the fringe. To iron them, double the 
long way, and iron, being careful to press the selvages well, 
and iron the towel straight and smooth; fold once again in 

O 'CD 

the same direction, and hang on the bars. Pillow-slips are 
folded lengthways, also. 

How many flat-irons do you need to do a large ironing? 
What is said about the ironing table? What, of the iron¬ 
ing blanket and sheet? What other thing will you need? 
What is said about iron-holders? What, about fire? How 
do you iron a sheet? How, table-cloths? Should table¬ 
cloths be hung on the bars? How do you iron table nap¬ 
kins? Handkerchiefs? Towels and pillow-slips? 

RULES. 

1. For ironing, have six flat-irons, an ironing table, a 
blanket and sheet, an iron-stand, a rubber, a bit of wax, a 
set of clothes frames, a skirt-board and a bosom-board. 

2 . Set the ironing table firm and level, and make the 
blanket and sheet very smooth and even. 

3. Have the irons very clean, and hot enough to hiss 
when touched with a wet finger. 


IRONING LESSON. 


51 


4. Always try the iron upon the rubber before beginning 
to iron a garment. 

5. Be careful to change the iron for a hotter one as soon 
as it is too cool. 

6. If the iron seems rough, rub it upon a brick, or bit of 
board, and then rub it upon a waxed cloth. 

7. Fold towels and pillow-slips'lengthways, and iron in 
all the folds. 

Comments. —It is well to wash flat-irons in soapsuds, and scrape 
the edges to make them perfectly clean, before putting them on the 
stove to heat. 

This would never be needed if irons were properly taken care of; 
but they are often used during the week, and left standing on the 
stove when cooking is being done, and thus become very dirty. 

If the starch is troublesome and sticks to the irons, it will be nec¬ 
essary to soak and wash them carefully. Examine the ironing table, 
if laid by inexperienced help; any unevennesses or seams under the 
iron will make it impossible to do good work. 

Girls are apt to use one iron till it is quite cool, leaving the others 
to get burning hot, instead of changing frequently. Just as soon as 
the irons are properly heated, the fire should be checked by closing 
drafts, thus keeping the fire at a regular heat. Ironing is rather slow 
work; but a little skillful management on the part of the housekeeper 
will greatly facilitate it. 


52 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


CHAPTER XVII. 

IRONING' LESSON.— Continued. 

-V 

To iron shirts, the irons should be quite hot, but not hot 
enough to burn, even if left standing a minute. 

First turn the shirt right side out, then fold the back 
down the middle, and iron it on both sides. Now turn the 
yoke of the shirt down in such a way that you can iron it 
smooth. Next, take the neck band, and iron it even and 
straight. 

You are now ready to begin on the bosom if your iron is 
just right. Take the bosom-board and slip it into the shirt, 
fitting the collar band just as it was made to be when on the 
neck, and drawing the bosom down straight. 

Now take the iron and press one side of the bosom, tak¬ 
ing care to iron it perfectly straight. Leave the center plait 
untouched until both sides are ironed ; then loose the bosom 
from the board, and press the center plait smooth and even. 
Continue pressing and rubbing till the bosom is all dry and 
well polished. Lastly, take the iron, and with its edge mark 
the rows of stitching down the center. 

You can now finish ironing the shirt, taking the cuffs 
first. These must be very carefully ironed and polished on 
the right side. Finally, iron the muslin parts still left un¬ 
ironed. 

To fold a shirt, first lay the shirt out flat on the table, 
with the bosom down ; then bring over one side on the 
bosom smooth; then turn down the sleeve nicely. The other 


IRONING LESSON. 


53 


side fold in the same way. The shirt is now ready to hang 
on the bars to dry. 

Collars and cuffs are quite difficult to iron. You will need 
to see them well ironed before you can learn just how it 
should be done. This, however, you may remember : Always 
finish ironing and polishing on the right side, and continue 
to iron until the collar is perfectly dry. 

To iron fine starched clothes, first turn them right side 
out, then straighten the piece somewhat with the hand. Be¬ 
gin* at some straight edge, and try to iron in such a way as 
to leave the garment just as it was cut to be for shape. See 
that the threads of cloth cross each other at right angles. 

How hot should the irons be to iron shirts ? What parts 
of the shirt do you iron before you begin the bosom ? How 
do you iron the bosom ? How, the cuffs ? How do you fold 
a shirt ? What is said of collars and cuffs ? How do you 
iron fine starched clothes ? 

RULES. 

1. Have a steady fire, and keep the irons quite hot, but 
not so hot as to burn, even if allowed to stand a moment. 

2. To iron a shirt, take first the back, then the yoke, then 
the collar band. 

3. Iron the bosom, being very careful to put it on the 
bosom-board straight and even. 

4. Next, iron the cuffs and other parts of the shirt which 
have not been ironed before. 

5. All starched clothes should be ironed perfectly smooth 
and even, and pressed until they are dry. 

Comments —It is impossible to give full instruction for all kinds 
of garments. Special lessons must be taken from a good ironer. The 
success of ironing shirts depends much upon the quality of starch 


54 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


used. It is not best to make the starch too thick. If the bosom is 
required very stiff, use some white glue in the starch. This will give 
the stiffness and will not prevent the iron from passing smoothly over 
the surface. 

♦ i 

The raw starch should be quite thin, only milk-like in appearance. 

The shirt must be entirely dry when dipped in the raw starch, and 
must be allowed to lie rolled tight for at least one hour. Better leave 
it two hours. Shirts should be dried quickly. If they are allowed 
to lie around after being starched, or are exposed to rain or frost, they 
will not do well. It is better to hang all starched clothes in the house, 
if there is any doubt about a good drying out of doors. If the starch 
is just right, there will be no need of rubbing the bosom with wet 
rags ; but if the starch is too stiff and sticks to the iron, a rubbing 
will improve matters. 

The only way to learn to do this work well is to persevere, and 
keep trying. You will at last be rewarded with entire success. When 
the ironing is finished, set the flat-irons to cool, and have them put 
away in a clean, dry place at once. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

FOLDING CLOTHES FROM THE BARS. 

Clothes should be hung upon the bars with some care. 
Hang articles of a kind together, and spread the clothes 
over all parts of the bars alike. 

Skirts and dresses should not be folded, but should be 
hung loosely over the end of the bars. 

Allow the clothes to hang on the bars over night, to 
secure against any dampness. Have a large table and a 
basket ready for use in folding the clothes. 

As you take a garment from the bars, look it over to see 
if any buttons are missing, or any mending is needed. Lay 




FOLDING CLOTHES FROM THE BxVRS. 


I 


55 


aside those pieces which require mending, to be taken to the 
sewing-room. 

Place the clothes of each member of the family in a 
separate pile on the table. Put the sheets, pillow-slips and 
towels in the basket; and when all are folded, put in the 
piles from the table, taking care to put the nicest starched 
clothes on the top. 

Take the basket to the bed-rooms, and distribute the 
clothes in their proper places in drawers and closets. Be¬ 
fore putting the ironed clothes into the drawers, see that the 
things now in the drawers are in good order. 

Arrange articles of a kind in piles, and see that every¬ 
th i ng is jn'operly folded. By going over all the drawers in 
this way every week, it is easy to keep them always in good 
order. 

Take the articles which need mending to the place where 
the sewing is done, and be sure that every thing is mended 
and put away in good season. Stockings must all be looked 
over, carefully mended, and neatly rolled up. 

How do you hang clothes upon the bars? How do you 
hang up skirts and dresses? How long should the clothes 
hang upon the bars? What do you use in folding clothes? 
What do you do with each garment as you take it from the 
bars? What do you do with the things which need mend¬ 
ing? How do you separate the clothes of each person? 
How do you put the clothes in the basket? What do you do 
with the basket when filled? How do you put the drawers 
in order? AVhat do you do with the stockings? 


RULES. 

1. Hang the clothes on the bars in such a way that they 
will dry well. 


56 PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 

2. Leave the clothes on the bars till they are all perfectly 
dry. 

3. Look over all articles as you take them from the bars 
to fold, and see if they need mending. •• 

4. Put all clothes which need mending into a mending- 
basket. 

5. Assort the clothes as you fold them, placiug each in¬ 
dividual’s clothes in a separate pile. 

6. Before putting the fresh-ironed clothes away, see that 
the drawers or shelves are in good order. 

7. Always see that the mending is all done and the 
clothes put away before Saturday. 

Comments. —The work of folding the clothes from the bars is 
usually the work of the housekeeper; but young girls in the family 
may be taught to do this work well, and it is very suitable work for 
them. It can not be hurried through with, but each article should 
have careful scrutiny to see that no stitches are needed in repairs; 
buttons that are at all loose should be stayed with a few stitches. 
Every good housekeeper feels that it is a sin against good manage¬ 
ment to allow a garment to go to the drawer without being properly 
mended. 

In the hurry of other sewing, the mending is sometimes crowded 
out, and is left till the next week; this should never be allowed. 

It will generally be found that time is just as valuable when the 
next week comes; and thus the garment, being needed for wear, is 
hurriedly sewed up and put on. 

The best way to economize time and get the largest amount of 
work done, is to do every thing in its proper time. 

Of course, sickness and extreme emergencies will interrupt the 
regular routine; these, however, come but seldom. 


HOW TO TALK. 


57 




CHAPTER XIX. 

HOW TO TALK. 

Young girls should be very careful in their use of lan¬ 
guage. 

We all judge of the character of those we meet by the 
language they use. Try to speak distinctly, carefully artic¬ 
ulating each word and syllable. 

Let your words be always true. Don’t say: “Oh, I have 
done it a million of times,” when, perhaps, you have done it 
only ten or twenty times. You would never think of this as 
a falsehood; but if you allow yourself to speak in this ex¬ 
aggerated way, you will soon cease to know what is truth, 
and thus be led to actual falsehood. Avoid the use of slano- 
words and phrases. Young people seem to think it is very 
witty to use slang; but they should remember that well-bred 
people carefully avoid such expressions. 

Let your language be pure at all times. Never say in 
the presence of your associates words which you would be 
unwilling to allow your mother or teacher to hear you speak. 

Don’t be a constant talker. A good listener is always a 
more welcome companion than a great talker; and if you 
want your companions to love you, and always be glad to see 
you, you must learn to listen patiently, and rather seek to 
make others talk, than to talk yourself. 

Cultivate quiet, gentle tones of voice, and avoid loud 
speaking, especially when addressing those older and wiser 
than yourself. 

Do not speak angrily or impertinently when reproved for 


58 


PARLOR, BED-ROOM AND LAUNDRY WORK. 


a wrong action, even if you think you are unjustly blamed ; 
wait a moment, and, when you speak, do so in a quiet, re¬ 
spectful manner, stating the exact truth of the case. 

In talking with very young children, be very careful to 
tell them only what is strictly true. Remember, to these 
little ones, you should be a guide and an example to lead 
them in the right way. 

Never tell little children strange or frightful stories. 
Children may be seriously injured by exciting their little 
brains with fearful, wild stories, which will become very real 
to these little ones, and thus disturb their sleep and excite 
their imaginations with terrors which may pursue them 
through life. 

How do we judge of the characters of those we meet ? 
How should you speak ? How should your words always 
be ? If you use exaggerations, what will it lead to ? What 
should you avoid ? How should your language be at all 
times ? What is said about talking too much ? What, of 
the tones of voice ? How should you reply when reproved ? 
What is said about talking with young children ? What, 
about telling them frightful stories ? 


RULES. 

1. Speak distinctly, carefully articulating every word and 
syllable. 

2. Be careful to speak the exact truth, avoiding all ex- 
ago;e rations. 

3. Never say, in the company of your young friends, 
words which you would be unwilling to allow your mother 
or teacher to hear you speak. 

4. Be a patient listener, rather than a great talker. 

5. Never speak in loud and angry tones of voice. 


HOW TO TALK. 


59 


0. When reproved, reply in a quiet, respectful manner. 

7. Never use slang words or phrases. 

8. In talking with little children, be careful to say what 
is strictly true, and never tell them strange or frightful 
stories. 


































SONGS. 




SWEEPING SONG. 

From Miss Huntington’s “Kitchen Garden,” by per. 






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2 , 


Look well into the corners, 

For cobwebs on the walls ; 

Do n’t leave the dusty mourners, 

All hanging there like palls, 

But sweep them all away ; 

Let not the smallest stay. 

Chorus.— Then sweep, sweep, sweep, my little maid, 
To make your room so neat. 


3. Now, with short strokes, and briskly, 

You brush the carpet o’er ; 

Your broom must not be frisky, 

But cling close to the floor. 

Yet, gently you must sweep, 

Not dig the carpet deep. 

Chorus. — Then sweep, sweep, sweep, my little maid, 
To make vour room so neat. 


4. Now leave the dust to settle ; 

Then wash the sills and doors 
With water from the kettle — 

How steams it as it pours ! 

Then dust each little chair, 

And every thing that’s there. 

CHORUS. — Then sweep, sweep, sweep, my little maid, 
To make your room so neat. 

63 


THE DUSTING SONG 


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64 


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THE DUSTING SONG. 


1. Now the sweeping all is done, 

We ’ll hnish it completely, 
Dusting every thing around, 

So quickly and so neatly. 

Bring the cloths, so clean and soft ; 

Bring the brooms of leather ; 
Clean and bright shall all things be, 
Whatever be the weather. 

2. First, we dust the cornice high, 

The pictures, brackets, vases, 
Brushing each with greatest care, 
Not leaving dusty traces. 

Or naments and books, in turn, 

Clean with brooms of feather ; 
Bright and fresh shall all things be. 
Whatever be the weather. 

3. First with brushes, then with cloths, 

We wipe each chair and table, 
Polishing each one in turn, 

As neatly as we ’re able. 

Lightly wipe the windows now, 

With our brooms of feather; 

Thus our rooms are fresh and bright,. 
Whatever be the weather 



65 


BED-MAKING SONG. 

From Miss Huntington’s “Kitchen Garden,” by per, 


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60 






































































































































































































































































































BED-MAKING SONG. 


1. When you wake in the morning, 

When day is now dawning, 

Then throw off the bedding, and let it all air ; 

Then shake up the pillows, 

In waves and in billows, 

And leave them near windows, if the day is quite fair. 


2. For beds made with hurry, 

With fret and with worry, 

Are always unhealthy and musty, ’t is sure ; 

But left for an airing, 

Pains-taking and caring, 

They let us sleep sweetly and know they are pure. 


3, The rules for bed-making, 

If, ever forsaking, 

You list to the careless and hurry them through, 

They ’ll soon grow so matted 
So hard and so flatted, 

You ’ll wish you had listened, and kept them quite new. 

67 


THE BELL-CALL 



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THE BELL CALL. 


1. To-day I must dress me with neatness and taste, 

Tho’ plainly, yet neatly and well; 

Then lightly away to the door I will haste, 

When I hear the ting-ting of the bell — 

Ting-a-ling, ding-a-ding, ting-a-ling, ting! 
When I hear the ting-ting of the bell. 

2. I know when he rings, ’t is the postman, who brings 

The letters we all love so well; 

I hasten away, then, as if I had wings, 

When I hear the ting-ting of the bell — 

Ting-a-ling, ding-a-ding, ting-a-ling, ting! 
When I hear the ting-ting of the bell. 

3. If friends call, I say: “ Do be seated, I pray; 

Your wishes to madam I ’ll tell; ” 

Nor ever will linger for pleasure or play, 

When I hear the ting-ting of the bell — 

Ting-a-ling, ding-a-ding, ting-a-ling, ting! 
When I hear the ting-ting of the bell. 

4. To strangers no less must I courtesy show, 

Nor beggars too rudely repel; 

As kind as I can, tell the peddler, “ No, no! ” 

When I hear the ting-ting of the bell — 

o o 

Ting-a-ling, ding-a-ding, ting-a-ling, ting! 
When 1 hear the ting-ting of the bell. 

69 


IRONING SONG. 



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THE IRONING SONG. 


1. The clothes are all sprinkled and rolled Monday nig’ht; 
On Tuesday, we rise up so early and bright; 

While the irons are heating, the table prepare; 

In this there is need for the greatest of care. 

The stand and the holder are each in their place, 

The rubber and wax for the flat-iron’s face; 

The frame for the clothes by the fire stands near; 

The boards for the shirts and the skirts are both here. 


2. In sheets, we must smooth out the edges with care; 

The towels, fold lengthwise; the napkins, fold square. 
For clothes that are starched, a hot iron we need, 

But lest it should burn, we must take greatest heed. 
But hardest of all are the dresses and shirts, 

And care must be taken with ruffles and skirts; 

Our teachers are ready to help and to show; 

And how these are done, before long we shall know. 



LANGUAGE SONG. 



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72 








































































































































































































LANGUAGE SONG. 


♦ 


1. In speech, little maiden, remember alway, 

Be simple and honest and true; 

And never “A thousand, a million times” say, 

When you mean but a dozen or two. 

Though language may often be earnest and strong, 
Leave “slang” to the vulgar and base; 

Learn, rather than talking too loud and too long, 

To listen with beauty and grace. 

2. Nor ever with tone of impatience oppose 

Whatever is set you to do; 

Nor answer in anger a parent, or those 
Who are older and wiser than you. 

Speak no word that would, if your teacher should hear, 
Make blushes to mantle your brow; 

And never to word of another give ear 
Your mother would never allow. 
































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